13 Feb 2025

A fair distribution of the budget prioritising important sectors of the economy by Minister of Finance is worth applauding, Palapye legislator also Minister of Water and Human Settlement, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi has said.

In his response to the budget speech recently, Mr Ramogapi said the first 100 days showed efforts of a government that was determined to improve livelihoods and other sectors to grow the economy.

Such, he said included provision of sanitary pads for school going girls, the P300 monthly living allowance for the first 12 months, as well as provision of decent housing among others. Mr Ramogapi said the government was doing well in creating employment opportunities by identifying mega projects.

He said government was on track in fighting corruption citing suspension of project awarded under the Development Manager Model pending its review.

The legislator appealed to his colleagues to use Parliament as a platform to deliberate on the development agenda and other issues of national interest that would add value to the economy.

Mahalapye East Member of Parliament, Mr Augustine Nyatanga advised government to do all in its power to safeguard the market and future of natural diamonds.

He said lab grown diamonds were a threat to the economy of the country.  We must work extra hard to safeguard the natural diamonds and advocate for their preference in the market, he said.

He said it was an unfortunate and equally challenging for the maiden budget of the new government to have a budget with a deficit that was over P22 billion.

Not withstanding the challenging environment, Mr Nyatanga also assistant Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, said the budget was focused on among others job creation, not only by government by in partnership with private sector.

He said the target was on growing the manufacturing industry and the agricultural sector, because of its potential to create jobs both on short and long term.

He said the government was aware that the education sector was challenged by among others students/teacher ratio exacerbated by shortage of funds to employ temporary teachers on permanent and pensionable basis.

He said education was central to the UDC promise of delivering to the nation. He said government encouraged the use of technology to enhance productivity in the workplace, and  noted that digitalisation would create more jobs, maximise productivity output and efficiencies.

Mr Nyatanga emphasised that government was focused on job  creation by encouraging investors to set up businesses in the country without suffering bureaucratic processes.

He said it was also important to empower Village Development Committees to provide housing that was at par with modern standards, generate income and be able to self-finance their projects. ENDS